Sports / B2

HURDL/ˈhɜːdl/

A hurdle is a frame to jump in athletics, or a difficulty you must deal with; as a verb, to jump that frame: the 110 m hurdles; the main hurdle. Obstacle and barrier are close twins; huddle is a different word. Cost is the main hurdle in the housing brief. Mix-up: huddle (previous); hurdle vs hurtle (to move very fast). Do not write hurdle for a help that made the task easier.

Meaning

A frame to jump in athletics, or a difficulty you must deal with; as a verb, to jump that frame.

Examples

• “Cost is the main hurdle in the housing brief, not a sports-day caption unless the PE paper says so.”
• “She hurdled the last barrier, which is the athletics-verb sense.”

Good to know

the main hurdle; 110 m hurdles; hurdle + obstacle. Close: obstacle / barrier. Trap: huddle / hurtle. Citizenship, business, and PE. An athletics frame, or an obstacle to progress — specify.

Near in meaning

obstacle, barrier, difficulty

Topics

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